Band label applying and container positioning apparatus

ABSTRACT

A label applying and container positioning apparatus is shown wherein blow- molded containers or bottles may be readily guided into a slightly stretched band label made of a relatively thin film strip. After the label is positioned on the container, the label is released so as to grip the sidewall of the container after which the labeled container is slid from the positioning apparatus with the label snugly in its desired mounted condition on the container. Three embodiments of the invention are shown. In a first embodiment, round or elliptical bottles are labeled with the apparatus usually in a vertical condition. In a second embodiment, square or rectangular bottles are labeled also with the apparatus usually in a vertical condition. In a third embodiment, the container positioning apparatus is disposed at an angle such as thirty degrees from the vertical and a springbiased label stretching guide or tongue directs and assists in the entry of the bottle into the label applying apparatus.

May 21, 1974 p MARE ETAL 3,811,986

BAND LABEL APPLYING AND CONTAINER POSITIONING APPARATUS s Sheets-Shet 1 Filed May 26, 1971 INVEN'IORS PETER 0. MARE ALBERT L. Ross 8) May 21, 1974 p MARE EI'AL 3,811,986

BAND LABEL APPLYING AND CONTAINER POSITIONING APPARATUS Filed May 26, 1971 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS P575? 0. MARE ALBERT L. R085 BAND LABEL APPLYING AND CONTAINER POSITIONING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 26, 1971 INVENTOR.

PETER D. MARE BY ALBERT L. R055 AGE/v7 3,811,986 BAND LABEL APPLYING AND CONTAINER POSITIONING APPARATUS Peter D. Mare, 23 Fox Hill, Upper Saddle River, NJ. 07458, and Albert L. Ross, 11 Bonaire Drive, Suirolk, NY. 11746 "United States Patent Continuation-impart of abandoned application Ser. No.

US. Cl. 156494 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A label applying and container positioning apparatus is shown wherein blow-molded containers or bottles may be readily guided into a slightly stretched band label made of a relatively thin film strip. After the label is positioned on the container, the label is released so as to grip the sidewall of the container after which the labeled container is slid from the positioning apparatus with the label snugly in its desired mounted condition on the container. Three embodiments of the invention are shown. In a first embodiment, round or elliptical bottles are labeled with the apparatus usually in a vertical condition. -In a second embodiment, square or rectangular bottles are labeled also with the apparatus usually in a vertical condition. In a third embodiment, the container positioning apparatus is disposed at an angle such as thirty degrees from the vertical and a spring-biased label stretching guide or tongue directs and assists in the entry of the bottle into the label applying apparatus.

CONTINUATION-IN-PART APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 105,840 filed January 12, 1971, now abandoned, and having the same title and inventors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention With reference to the classification of art as established by the US. Patent Otfice this invention relates to the general class of Package Making, and the subclass thereunder of with cover adjunct application or formation and to the further subclass of binding string. Other subclasses in this same general class include depositing articles and arranging material and the further subclass of guide or inserted form or support for article contents as well as the subclass thereunder of expansible. In the general class of Metal Working, art may be found in the subclass of assembling and disassembling apparatus" as well as the subclass of applying and removing resilient articles.

Description of the prior art The recent acceptance of blow-molded plastic containers or bottles as a means of packaging fluid products such as chemicals has also generated a problem in the labeling of these blow-molded containers. Silk screen labeling has been a popular method of labeling these containers but in addition to being a rather expensive manner of labeling silk screening also requires that the containers be labeled prior to their use. This screening method produced the problem of container storage, inventory control and the like. Multicolor labeling by silk screening requires a handling and drying for each color thus increasing the expense. Printed labels when made from a thin strip of plastic film and heat sealed to form an endless band provide a solution to the above-mentioned problems in the use of the silk screen labeling method. The preprinted label bands reduce the storage 3,811,986 Patented May 21, 1974 and inventory requirements in the use of blow-molded containers and cost much less than silk screening the containers themselves, but present an application problem in that prior to the present invention the mounting of the band by hand is slow and a rather costly method. The present invention discloses three embodiments of an inexpensive apparatus by which the rapid hand mounting of plastic filmstrip band labels to blow-molded and like containers may be accomplished with the advantage of band labeling of containers at a low labor application cost.

In a search of the art pertinent to the instant apparatus and method of application of band labeling, several US. Patents were found and considered, US. Pat. No. 2,882,- 660 to Denton as issued on Apr. 21, 1959 pertains to the banding of bananas. Another band applying apparatus is seen in the bag and band stretcher as shown in US. Pat. No. 3,264,796 to Tomczak et al. as issued on Aug. 9, 1966 which patent in particular pertains to the packaging of meat food products in a film bag or sleeve. A bottle banding device is shown in US. Pat. No. 3,067,501 to Baumann et a1. as issued on Dec. 11, 1962 and a packaging apparatus is shown in US. Pat. No. 3,078,628 to Ready which issued on Feb. 26, 1963.

In these and all other art known to the applicants there is no showing of apparatus wherein a container or bottle positioning guide provides means whereupon a. plastic band may be positioned While being stretched. While the plastic band is held or maintained in a determined position on the apparatus the blow-molded container is urged into and through the slightly stretched band label which is then released to snugly grip the sidewall of the container. After mounting the band label on the conatiner the banded container is withdrawn from the apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The apparatus for positioning a container and the applying of a label thereto is shown in three embodiments. In a first embodiment a support is formed with a sheet metal skirt which is contoured to accept and provide a positioning guide for a blow-molded container as it is moved into a slightly stretched band label of plastic film. After the container has been fully inserted into the band label the stretched band is released to grip the sidewall of the container and mounted thereon the band labeled container is removed from the apparatus. In this arrangement the apparatus is normally vertically disposed.

In a second positioning apparatus a pair of fixed rods is carried on one-half of a hinged base member while a like pair of fixed rods is carried on the other half of the hinged base member. In use, one of the base members is attached to a table while the other is movable so that the extending ends of the fixed rods may be brought close to each other whereupon a label band of plastic film is dropped over the grouping of four rods. After the label is in position, the movable hinged base member is now moved to stretch the film band to provide a four-sided opening into which the container is slid to a determined stop position. After positioning the film band on the container, the movable hinged base member is released so that the film band moves to the sidewall of the container and grips the sides of the container while and as the band container is slid from the apparatus.

In a third embodiment, the label applying and container positioning apparatus employs a semicircular sheet metal skirt guide and a label stop shelf attached to the outer surface of the skirt guide. In use, the apparatus is mounted so that the skirt is tilted at about thirty degrees from the vertical. Opposite the opening in the semicircular skirt and partly covering the front of the opening is a hinged tongue member which is spring biased so as to move into the opening in the formed skirt. This hinged-tongue member is disposed to engage a band label draped on and over the semicircular skirt guide and when a container is presented to the apparatus the tongue is engaged to act as a guide for the entry of the container into the band label as the label is stretched by the outward movement of the tongue while the container is inserted into the apparatus to the label mounting position.

In addition to the above summary the following disclosure is detailed to insure adequacy and aid in understanding of the invention. This disclosure, however, is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover'each new inventive concept therein no matter how it may later be disguised by variations in form or additions of further improvements. For this reason there has been chosen a specific embodiment of a container guide and band label positioning apparatus and two alternate embodiments of a guide and positioning apparatus as adopted for use with a plastic film strip label band and showing a preferred means for band labeling round, oval and rectangular containers. This specific embodiment and the two alternate embodiments thereof have been chosen for the purposes of illustration and description as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 represents an isometric view, partly fragmentary and showing a band label applying and container positioning apparatus for receiving a round or oval bottle or container as the band label is mounted on the container;

FIG. 2 represents in a slightly scale, a sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, the view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 represents an isometric view of an alternate embodiment of a band label applying and container positioning apparatus particularly adapted for receiving a generally rectangular or square container or bottle as the band label is mounted on the container;

FIG. 4 represents a side view of the band label mounting apparatus of FIG. 3 with a relaxed band label positioned thereon;

FIG. 5 respresent a side view of the band label mounting apparatus of FIG. 4 with the apparatus actuated so as to stretch the band label to a container receiving condition;

FIG. 6 represents a side view of the band label mounting apparatus of FIG. 5 with the label still in the stretched condition but with a container disposed in band label mounting condition;

FIG. 7 represents a side view of the band label mounting apparatus of FIG. *6 with the hinged label stretching portion of the apparatus released to permit the band label to move to and snugly engage the sides of the container;

FIG. 8 represents a side view, partly in section and showing an alternate embodiment of a label applying apparatus in which the semicircular sheet metal skirt guide of FIG. 1 is mounted on a base so as to be disposed at an angle of approximately thirty degrees from the vertical to provide a sloped surface upon which may be draped a band label, this label being stretched to a desired opening by a hinged tongue movable to and from the opening in the skirt, and

FIG. 9 represents a front view of the apparatus of FIG. 8, the view taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. -8 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the following description and in the claims various details will be identified by specific names for convenience; these names, however, are intended to be generic in their application. Corresponding reference characters refer to like members throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The drawings accompanying, and forming part of, this specification disclose certain details of construction for the 4 purpose of explanation of the broader aspects of the invention, but it should be understood that structural details may be modified in various respects without departure from the concept and principles of the invention and that the invention may be incorporated in other structural forms than shown.

Description of the label applying and container positioning apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 Referring now in particular to the drawings and to the band label applying and container positioning fixture as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the particular embodiment shown includes a base member 10 which may be formed with a receiving trough 12 provided on one end of the base member. If desired, a like trough may be provided on the other end of the base member 10. Intermediate the ends and sides of the base is mounted the container positioning fixture which includes a support 14 which preferably is removably attached to the base member by means of a screw 16. The upper face or surface of the support 14 is contoured to provide a recess 18 which is sized to receive and retain the bottom of a container or bottle to be hand labeled. This bottle is seen in phantom outline in FIG. 2 and is identified as 20.

A skirt support 22, which preferably is of thin sheet metal, is attached to the side of the support 14 so as to guide and align the container with the recess 18. The inside contour of the skirt support 22 is shaped to slidably receive and retain the sidewall portion of the container 20. As reduced to practice, this skirt support is disposed to surround about one-half of the periphery of the container. A short length of the upper edge of the skirt is bent slightly outwardly to provide an inwardly directing guide lip 24 for the ready alignment and insertion of the container into the skirt support. A stop band 26 is disposed at a determined distance above the receiving recess 18. This stop band is mounted on the outside of the skirt support 22 and is attached so that it in no way affects the inner surface or contour of this skirt support. The outer surface of the skirt support is smooth and polished to provide a sliding surface for a band label 28 to be hereinafter more fully described. This skirt support is made sufficiently high or long so as to have a determined straight exterior extent between guide lip 24 and the stop band 26. This straight extent is at least as great as the width of the label band 30 which is to be mounted on container 20.

Use and operation of apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 With the base member 10 placed on a table or workbench, which is at a comfortable height for the operator, the receiving trough 12 is positioned so as to be within an easy reach by the operator. A supply of plastic band labels 28 is placed in this trough for labeling the bottles. These bands are usually a printed thin film strip which after printing are heat sealed to form an endless belt or band each of which is of like circumference. In their relaxed condition the inner circumference of these bands is slightly less than the outside perimeter of the container or bottle 20 at that area to which the label is to be mounted.

With the open portion of the skirt support 22 disposed toward the operator, a label band 28 (shown in phantom outline in FIG. 2) is dropped over the skirt support and is allowed to rest on stop band 26. With one hand the operator grasps the label band 28 and urges it tightly against the outside surface of skirt support 22. With this band held forwardly of the open portion of the skirt support a container 20 is brought to the guide lip 24 and while guided by and against the inside of the skirt support 22 the label band is caused to be stretched over the container as the container is pushed downwardly until its bottom is stopped by recess 18. When this occurs the label band 28 is at, or is urged to, the positioned condition on the container as seen in FIG. 2.

"After the band has been positioned on the body of the container as determined and observed by the operator, the label band is released so asto grip the container sidewall and the outer surface of the skirt support 22 by the tension in the still partly stretched band. The container is then lifted upwardly by the operator with the skirt support 22 guiding the path movement of the lifted container. The outer sliding surface of the skirt support 22 is polished so as to permit the label band to be readily slid upwardly as the container is lifted. The remaining portion of the label band is engaged by the surface of the container which is usually at least slightly rough and has a high coefiicient of friction with the label band which is sufficient so as to maintain the stretched label band in its mounted condition. As the band label 28 is slid above the skirt support 22 it snaps to the sidewall of the container. After the container has been completely lifted from the skirt support the tensioned label band remains on the container in the desired position.

Some containers are molded with a slightly recessed sidewall providing a lower outwardly extending head which further insures retention and positioning of the band label on the container. Whether the container is round, oval or of other selected shape, it is essential that the skirt support 22 provide a reasonably exact guide for the passage thereinto of the container. The skirt support 22, as reduced to practice, is of sheet metal which may be of polished stainless steel of about twenty thousandths of an inch in thickness. The recess 18 and the positioning of stop band 26 is of selected determination so as to position the label band at the selected height on the sidewall of the container. In order that the label band 28 not be overstretched, the skirt support 22 is preferably made with little clearance between the molded sidewalls of the container and the inside of the skirt support is preferably onesixteenth of an inch or less.

Description of the label applying and container positioning apparatus of FIGS. 3 through 7 Referring next to the alternate embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 through 7 there is depicted a positioning apparatus particularly useful for containers which are substantially square or rectangular in configuration. As seen in FIG. 3 the apparatus includes a pair of base members 50 and 51 which is retained in a spaced relationship by means of a hinge 52 to which each base member is fastened. In member 51 is formed a plurality of holes 54 by which base member 51 may be fastened by screws and the like to the top of a table or bench, not shown. A tension spring 56 is attached by its ends on and to support posts 58 and 59. Post 58 is attached to base mmeber 50 and the post 59 is attached to base member 51 so that when the spring is fastened to the posts the members 50 and 51 are urged toward each other.

Attached to member 50 and extending upwardly at substantially right angles to the plane of the upper surface of member 50 is a pair of guide rods 61 and 62. A like pair of guide rods 63 and 64 is attached to member 51 and is also at substantially right angles to the plane of the upper surface of member 51. The distance between rods 61 and 62 is also generally substantially the same as the distance between rods 63 and 64. When the base members 50 and 51 are brought into a common plane as in FIG. 5 the distance between rods 61 and 63 is usually substantially the same as the distance between rods 62 and 64.

Mounted on member 51 at a point near the hinged joint and intermediate the sides of the member 51 is a support or stop block 66 of a determined height. Afiixed to member 50 near its free end is a handle 68 providing means to easily manipulate and move member 50. Stops 70, 71, 72 and 73 are small pin portions which may be fastened to the outer faces of rods 61, 62, 63 and 64 at a determined like distance above the upper face of members 50 and 51.

6 Use and operation of the apparatus of FIGS. 3 through 7 This positioning apparatus is intended for use with containers of generally rectangular or square configuration. With the base member 51 fastened to a table or workbench, not shown, as by screws through holes 54, the member 50 when released is pulled by spring 56 to the position of FIG. 3. In this condition the apparatus is as seen in the side view of FIG. 4 whereat a label band 75 is dropped over the four guide rods 61, 62, 63 and 64 and is permitted to slide down to the stops 70, 71, and 72 and 73.

Reference is next made to FIG. 5 wherein handle 68 has been grasped by the operator who then pushes the base member 51, as shown by the arrow, to a position where member 51 also rests on the support table. Guide rods 61, 62, 63 and 64 are now disposed so that their axis lie in substantially parallel planes and label band 75 has been stretched by therods into a substantially rectangular or square configuration.

Reference is next made to FIG. 6 wherein with the apparatus in the condition of FIG. Sand the band 75 in a stretched condition the operator grasps a container 76 and uses guide rods 61, 62, 63 and 64 as a desired guide or positioning means. The container is now slid between the guide rods and at the same time within the stretched wall of the label band 75. The container is pushed downwardly within the rods until the bottom of the container engages and is stopped by block 66. This block positions the container in the label band at the desired label mounting position.

Reference is next made to FIG. 7 wherein the operator has released the handle 68 so that spring 56 urges or pulls base member 50 toward member 51. Band 75 is permitted to contact and snugly engage the four sides of the container 76 after which the container is lifted from the apparatus. The rods 61, 62, 63 and 64 are contemplated to be of a small diameter such as about one-quarter of an inch in diameter and only locally displace the label band from the sides of the container. These rods are polished to a high degree of smoothness and the upper ends are rounded or chamfered so as to provide a smooth entrance for the container and for a smooth withdrawal of the band over the rods.

In general, the guide rods 61, 62, 63 and 64 may be disposed to occupy a space next to or near the curved corners of the container. It has been found satisfactory with blow-molded rectangular containers of about one gallon capacity to let the guide rods rest against opposite sides of the container so that as the rods 61 and 62 move toward rods 63 and 64 they slide along side the container and occupy very little space as the label band moves into tight engagement with the sidewalls of the container. The rods as they stretch the band only insure that the band is sufiiciently stretched and contoured so that the curved bottom of the container easily enters the stretched configuration of the band around the four rods 61, 62, 63 and 64.

Description of the apparatus of FIGS. 8 and 9 Referring finally now to FIGS. 8 and 9 there is shown a modification of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 in which a base 80 includes a bottom member or plate 82 upon which is mounted and attached a rib 84. This rib carries an attached upper support member 86 which is disposed at approximately a thirty degree angle to the horizontal member '82. Intermediate the ends of this support member 86 is a tapped hole in which is carried a cap screw 88 and mounted on its upper end is an acorn nut 90' which acts as a stop for container 20 shown in phantom outline. A stop ring or collar 92 acts as a lower stop or limit for a band label 94 also shown in phantom outline. This band label is disposed to slide down and rest upon the upper edge of stop 92 and lean against and rest upon an arcuate skirt support 96 which is of thin sheet metal and is in purpose and configuration to the skirt support 22 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2'. A hinge 98 is attached to the forward portion of member 86 and carries a tongue member 100* of thin sheet metal which, like skirt support 96, is also partly arcuate in shape and tapers from a lower width to a larger width at its upper end. A tension spring 102 is attached to the tongue member 100 and member 86 so as to pull member 100 into the recess of the skirt support 96. This tongue member stays in the position seen in FIG. 8 until the container is ready to be inserted into the positioning fixture for the mounting of the band label. Seen in phantom outline on the right-hand side of FIG. 8 is a tray portion 104 in which may be stored a supply of band labels 94.

Use and operation of the apparatus of FIGS. 8 and 9 Base 80 of the fixture of FIGS. 8 and 9 may be mounted upon a table or positioned upon a convenient work surface so that tongue member 100 is more or less in front of the operator as the operator faces the fixture. The band labels 94 are conveniently accessible in the tray 104. With the tongue 100 positioned in the fixture as seen in FIG. 8 and absent a container 20 a single band label 94 is dropped upon the skirt support 96 so that the band rests upon the upper edge of stop 92. As the band label slides loosely on the skirt support it also moves onto the lower portion of the tongue member 100. With the band label draped in position, the operator grasps a container 20 and with the lower rounded edge of the container engages the upper portion of the tongue i100 and with the continer pulls the tongue toward himself until the rear edge of the container is brought in way of the flared upper guide lip of skirt support 96 whereupon the container is shoved downwardly between the inner surface of skirt support 96 and tongue 100* into the slightly stretched band label 94. The downward progress of the container is stopped by acorn nut 90 whereat the band label is disposed to fit into the slight recess formed in the sidewall of the container. As soon as the container has been pushed down to engage nut 90 the band label is at its mounting condition and with the band now seated in the recess formed in the sidewall of the container, said container is pulled from the fiixture with the band firmly mounted thereon. As the container 20 is removed, the tongue 100 and shirt 96 guide the labeled container until clear of the fixture after which tongue 100 is pulled forwardly by means of tension spring 102 into skirt support 96 to permit another label to be dropped onto the fixture for the next application of a label to a container.

The fixture of FIGS. 8 and 9 permits the operator to easily position the label band upon the apparatus prior to the insertion of the container 90 into the fixture. The tongue 100 being of a very thin gauge of sheet metal permits the band label 94 to be stretched to a container receiving condition without over stretching the band as sometimes occurs when and as the operator grasps the label by the fingers to provide an opening for the container 20 in the use of the fixture of FIGS. 1 and 2. This alternate positioning and band label applying apparatus permits the operator to speed up the label applying cycle by at least twenty-five or thirty percent. At a very easy and steady rate the operator is able to apply labels for prolonged periods at a labeling rate of about fifteen or twenty containers a minute.

With the tongue 100 assisting the entry of container 20 into the band label 94, over stretching of the label is eliminated or reduced to an inconsequential percentage. Finger fatigue is eliminated and alternate hand operation is easily learned.

Although shown as disposed at an angle of about thirty degrees, the fixture may be arranged so that the skirt may be tilted as little as about ten degrees and as much as about forty-five degrees from a vertical condition. Spring 102. and tongue 100 are, of course, made to suit the particular container both as to the size and con- 8 figuration of the container and also the angle of the skirt 96.

In the above examples of a label applying and container positioning apparatus it is to be noted that each apparatus must be made to accommodate a particular container and band label. Although the container is made with a small amount of tolerance in its manufacture, the fit of the skirt 22 or skirt 96 and the spacing between pairs of guide rods must be reasonably and carefully calculated. For example, with one gallon containers a looseness of one-sixteenth of an inch or less is usually provided. The label bands as reduced to practice are usually of film from one and one-half to three-thousandths of an inch in thickness and may be of polypropylene, polyethylene or the like. These and similar films are sufficiently resilient to permit a short period of five percent or so stretch during mounting and then in its final mounted condition the film is released to hug the container in stretched condition about one percent or so from its relaxed manufactured condition.

Of course the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 8 can be constructed so that support 14, recess 18 and skirt 22 as well as skirt 96 and tongue 100 may accommodate a polygonal-sided container. In like manner the apparatus of FIG. 3 may have the guide rods disposed to accommodate curve-sided containers and to stretch the film so as to slidably receive such a container. No matter the configuration, the apparatus is made so that the band label can be slightly stretched and held while the curved corners and edges of the bottom of the container are brought to and are moved through the stretched label band.

In apparatus arrangement as shown in the exemplified three embodiments it has been found that one operator can band label containers at rates in excess of ten a minute. This is in sharp contrast to the prior hand application rate of one or two per minute. The apparatus of FIGS. 1, 3 or 8 requires little effort on the part of the operator and increases the productivity to a rate as great as or more than the production usually achieved when the label is silk screened directly to a container.

It is to be noted that the container, above-described, has been identified as of blow-molded construction; however, it is not contemplated that the above-identified apparatus is restricted for use only with blow-molded containers. The apparatus has also been used with sheet metal containers, particularly rectangular one gallon cans, as well as paperboard containers having coatings resistant to the normal gluing on of labels. Any container to which it is desired to apply a band label, either for convenience, economy, or for the superior appearance of the band label may be labeled in and with the apparatus as abovedescribed.

It is also to be noted that when theband labels are of very thin plastic and are flimsy it may be desirable to have the opening in the skirt member 22 in the fixture of FIG. 1 disposed away from the operator to enable the operator to perform a simultaneous band label and container manipulation so as to reduce wrinkling of the band label. The positioning of the opening is merely a matter of operator choice which is readily available by loosening and retightening screw 16.

In the stretching of the band in the apparatus of FIGS. 3-7 it may be desirable tobend the guide rods 61 and 62 so that they become in a parallel condition to rods 63 and 64 before the base member 50 reaches the plane of member 51. This bending of the rods enables the top portion of the band to be stretched at a rate more nearly equal to the rate of stretch of the bottom of the band. This is particularly desirable where the bands approach or exceed four or more inches in width. It is to be further noted that when apparatus using rods is provided, it 1s sometimes necessary to stiffen and strengthen these rods to accommodate heavy and/or wide bands. The force required to stretch the band may require a heat treatment of the rods and/or providing a brace to prevent excessive deflection of the rods. The brace portions may be welded to the rods or if desired contoured plates having rounded edges for engaging the film may be provided. Whether braced rods or contoured plates are used it is contemplated that the upright members will occupy no more than a quarter of an inch of space on each side of the container.

In the fixture of FIG. 8 the band label 94 is dropped into mounting condition with the stop 92 acting as a lower guide for one-half of the band. The tongue 100 since it is urged by spring 102 toward and into the inner recess of skirt 96 tends to retain the container 20 in a close sliding engagement with the skirt and tongue. In this manner the stretching of the band label 94 is limited to the thickness of the metal of the skirt and tongue.

It is to be further noted that the fixture of F IG. 3 may be arranged at an angle such as FIG. 8 so that the band label will lie on the support rods and stops while a container is inserted into the fixture. Instead of thirty degrees the angle of inclination may be more like ten or fifteen degrees.

Terms such as left, right, up, down, bottom, top, front, back, in, out and the like are applicable to the embodiments shown and described in conjunction with the drawings. These terms are merely for the purposes of description and do not necessarily apply to the position in which the band label applying and container positioning apparatus may be constructed or used.

While a particular embodiment of the band label applying and container positioning apparatus and two alternate embodiments have been shown and described it is to be understood the invention is not limited thereto since modifications may be made within the scope of the accompanying claims and protection is sought to the broadest extent the prior art allows.

What is claimed is:

1. Container positioning and label applying device for mounting a band label on the sidewall of a container comprising:

(a) base means;

-(b) fixed guide means mounted on the base means in the form of a skirt member contoured to accept and align a container to be banded, said skirt member having band label stop means on the exterior thereof and a height above the stop means at least as great as the width of the band label to be mounted on a container;

(c) hinge means hingedly mounting tongue means on the base means opposite and partly covering the opening of the skirt member, said tongue means being biased to pivot from said hinge means into the opening in the skirt, said skirt member and tongue means being generally vertically disposed with respect to a container to be handed; and

(d) said fixed guide and tongue means being adapted (i) to accept a band label draped thereover and a container to be handed therebetween;

(ii) to guide a container into the band label as the label is stretched by the outward pivotal movement of the tongue means from said hinge means while a container is inserted between the fixed guide and tongue means to a label mounting position; and

(iii) to further guide removal of a banded container until it is clear of the fixed guide and tongue means.

2. Device of claim 1 wherein the fixed guide means conforms to and surrounds about one-half of a container to be banded.

3. Device of claim 1 wherein said base means is inclined at an angle of from 10 to degrees from the vertical.

4. Device of claim 1 wherein the skirt member and tongue means are arcuate in configuration.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,264,796 8/1966 Tomczak et al 53-198 B 871,794 11/1907 Gates 156-489 2,882,660 4/1959 Denton 53-498 B 3,067,501 12/1962 Baumann et al. 29-450 DOUGLAS I. 'DRUMMOND, Primary Examiner B. J. LEWRIS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 156579; 53-198 B 

